Computer gaming giant Valve is gearing up for the launch of its highly anticipated ‘Steam Machine’, a PC-console hybrid for which pre-orders begin on Monday June 29.
Priced at £879 in the UK and $1,049 in the US, early reviewers have generally praised the cube-shaped device but were less enthusiastic about its value-for-money.
When it was first announced in November 2025, Valve was widely speculated to price the Steam Machine between $700 (£530) and $800 (£606).
Valve stated they would “love to make” the device more affordable, but current demand for hardware means this is unlikely.
The AI boom has sent demand for computer components, particularly RAM, skyrocketing – and consumers are beginning to see price rises as companies no longer bear the brunt.
Just last week, technology giant Apple said it was raising prices by almost 20% for its iPads and Mac devices due to hardware costs, although the iPhone was spared any hikes.
Microsoft also slapped over $100 onto the price of its Xbox console lineup, citing the same reason.
What is the Steam Machine?
The Steam Machine is effectively a mini PC which acts like a console, specifically optimised for gaming through the company’s own SteamOS software.
It is designed for PC games and Valve says it will be able to run every game on the Steam store, including the latest AAA titles.
The Steam Machine can also be bundled with the latest Steam Controller – a traditional-looking console controller which also features trackpads, unlocking controls for PC-designed games.
Valve originally promised “4K gaming with 60 frames per second with FSR” on the Steam Machine, though this was later quietly downgraded to just “up to 4K”.
The device was first announced last November as a successor to its first iteration of Steam Machine, in which the company did not produce any hardware itself.
This time, the console is manufactured by Valve itself and features AMD Zen 4 CPU with six cores and clock speed of 4.8GHz, AMD RDNA 3 with 2.45GHz clock speed and 8 GB DDR6 VRAM.
The 16GB of DDR5 RAM, as well as default storage sizes of 512GB or 2TB SSD, can both be swapped out and upgraded, making the Steam Machine more customisable than traditional consoles.
Valve has also said that the operating system can be changed too.
YOU MAY LIKE: ‘Sea of Thieves’ movie adaptation to bring audiences on a new voyage
How can I get a Steam Machine?
Valve has implemented a series of measures to protect against resellers.
Although pre-orders begin on Monday June 29, only very few people will actually be able to buy one.
Only those who registered before the deadline, with an eligible Steam account, will be able to make the purchase.
Steam users had to be over 18 and had made a purchase before April 27, 2026.
Even then, Valve is only sending out emails in a randomised lottery, and those lucky enough to win one will only have 72 hours to make the purchase from June 29, after which their spot will be given to another user.
Despite this, scalpers have already started posting resale prices of up double for the Steam Machine.
It is not yet known when – or even if – the Steam Machine will get a wider release.
All eyes will be on pre-order sales to see whether gamers think Valve’s unique hybrid device will be worth it, even with the AI-impacted costs or resale premium.
READ NEXT: ‘Ratatouille’ sequel off the table, director Brad Bird says
Elan Castanares 
James Mario Ajero 
Ciara Mina